Apparatus for determining the swelling of solid fuels



June 1965 B. s. SIESWERDA ETAL 3,

APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE SWELLING OF SOLID FUELS Filed Oct. 13, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 1965 B. s. SIESWERDA ETAL 3,

APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE SWELLING 0F SOLID FUELS Flled Oct 13 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,,,/21M M MW United States Patent 13 Claims. CI. 7316) This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for determining the expansion or swelling of solid fuel, such as coal, which occurs during coking. A process of this general character is described in the Dutch standard specification NEN 3039 wherein reference is made to the determination of the free swelling index, which term is improperly applied therein as the coke button, formed by the appropriate heating of the coal, is restrained in swelling by the crucible cover if the index is higher than 6. Coke buttons formed according to this process have a relatively regular shape, but due to the small dilferentiations they must be examined by a skilled inspector with the aid of an inspection tube. Accordingly, this known teaching has the undesirable attributes of requiring considerable time, skilled personnel, yields relatively inaccurate results, and is not properly adapted for automatic operation.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for forming coke buttons wherein the coke button is formed in a relatively deep crucible and allowed to freely swell, i.e. remain clear of the crucible cover, even during the greatest amount of swelling. After the coke button is formed, the degree of swelling with respect to a predetermined quantity of dry, ground coal initially charged, is measured by rotating the cone button in a parallel beam of light directed towards a photoelectric cell, the resulting electric signal thereby indicating the degree of the swelling which has occurred.

As a result of allowing this free swelling, the coke buttons to be formed may have irregular shapes and the measurement thereof is not properly accomplished by the prior art of the character described. The process according to the present invention, however, is rapid and efi'icient, provides a high degree of differentiation without the use of skilled personnel, and is notably adapted to automatic operation, the crucible cover not requiring cleaning.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for carrying out the process herein descibed. There is provided conveying means carrying a number of crucibles constructed and arranged to advance from one station to the other through a cycle having as many stations as there are crucibles. The crucibles are advanced to subsequent stations at regular interval-s: a first station including means for measuring into the crucible the required quantity of coal, filling the crucibles and compacting and leveling the coal; a second station including means for coking the coal to form a coke button; a third station including means for removing the coke button from the crucible which was formed at the second station and measuring the swelling thereof; and, a fourth station is conveniently provided for cleaning the emptied crucible so that residual dust or grit cannot affect the swelling measurement of a subsequent coke button formed therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved means for measuring the swelling of a coke button. Accordingly, means are provided for removing the coke button from the crucible at the third station and placing it in a translucent container rotatable about its axis. This container is disposed in the path of a parallel 3,187,555 Patented June 8, 1965 ice beam of light between the light source and a photoelectric apparatus operatively connected to amplifier and recording means. Rotation of this container provides a signal to the photoelectric device indicative of the average crosssectional area of the coke button.

Other objects of this invention include the provision of a multi-station conveying and testing apparatus for measuring the swelling of the coke buttons, the first station including crucible filling means together with means associated therewith for rapidly tapping the underside of the crucible to compact and level the coal secured therein; a second station for forming the coke button which includes means operatively joining a furnace to displace the latter to engage the filled crucible, and upon completion of the coking, means are operative to move the furnace and the crucible away from one another so that the crucible can advance to the third station. To this end, the coking furnace in the second station may be operatively joined to a piston mounted for vertical movement, so that the crucible can advance in a horizontal plane. A third station is provided for removing the coke button from the crucible and placing it in the testing container, this means including a pneumatic device, and pneumatic means are also provided for removing the coke button from the testing container for subsequent transportation.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a multi-station apparatus for: filling the crucible, heating the crucibe to form a coke button, removing the coke button to a translucent container rotatable in a photoelectric circuit to indicate the swelling of the coke button, and cleaning the crucible, the conveying means including a shaft carrying radially extending crucible-carrying arms, one for each station, means being provided for rotating the shaft to advance the crucible e.g. from one station to the other to perform these operations.

These and still further objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent in the specification and the claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic elevation view of the cording to the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, there is provided a central, vertically disposed shaft 23 carrying four radially extending arms 11 therefrom, with relatively deep crucibles 1, 2, 3, 4 carried at each end of these respective extending arms.

Positioned in cooperative circumferential relationship 90 apart about the shaft 23 are four stations I, II, III, and IV. As will become apparent, means are provided as station I for filling the crucible with a predetermined, levelled quantity of dry, ground coal; station II includes means for heating the coal-carrying crucible to form a coke button; station III includes means for removing the coke button from the crucible and introducing the same to a photoelectric responsive testing means; and station IV includes means for cleaning out the emptied crucible for subsequent filling at station I. Thus, crucibles are progressively advanced from stations I-II-HI-lV-I and so forth by rotation of the shaft 23.

Station I includes a filling trough 17 operatively positioned above a funnel 16 which, in turn, in positioned above a hori7ontal, fixed plate 15 having a coal supply opening therein. The funnel 16 is operatively positioned for horizontal movement and is thereby carried by suitable guides or the like (not shown) and has a wiping plate 13 fixed to its lower end for slidable movement along the upper surface of the plate 15J=The funnel 116 is operatively joined to one end of a spring-loaded cable A trained 90 about a'cable reel A for reasons to become apparent. For the present, it will be appreciated that movement of the vertical cable portion results in horizontal movement of the funnel 16 against the cablespring force. Horizontal movement of the funnel 15 thereby provides a wiping away of any superfluous coal 14 on the plate 15. Positioned immediately beneath the plate 15 is a spring biased slide 19. In this regard, one end of the slide 19 carries a cable B trained 90 about a reel B, the cable B being joined at its opposite end to one end of a vertically pivotable lever 18.

' At station II there is provided an electric furnace carried at the upper end of a vertically movable piston assembly 6. The piston assembly is actuated by compressed air or the like controlled by a time relay 7. The

electric furnace 5 and piston 6 is shown in FIGURE 1 in its lower position wherein the crucible 2 is supported by the radial arms 11 extending from the shaft 23. Movement of the piston 6 upwardly provides reception of the crucible2 in the electric furnace 5 which is, of course,

open at its upper end. The electric furnace 5 carries a horizontally extending arm 8, which is operative to control thenumber of elements of the apparatus. In this regard, the cable A, trained about the reel A extends vertically downward, and carries a stop 12 at its lower end adjacent the underside of the plate 8. The stop 12 is, of course, normally biased upward due'to the engagement of the upper horizontal portion of the cable A with the associated spring adjacent the funnel 16.

' Also, there is provided a control rod C positioned for vertical movement in the vertical path of movementof the plate 8. Rod C passes through ,a stop 9 which is joined to a spring carried by a rod bearing C. The rod C is joined at its upper end to a link C" pivotally mounted at its center to a stationary surface. The opposite end of the link C" carries a cover .10 operatively positioned to cover the furnace 5 and crucible 2, as will become apparent. It will be noted that the free end of the arm 8 is operatively positioned below the adjacent free end of the lever 18 to control movement of the slide 19.

roller 26 depending from the adjacent portion of the electric furnace 5. There is also provided a cam disc 28 having four cams spaced equally over its circumference and arrested by a fixed pawl 29. In the position shown in FIGURE 1, the shaft cannot rotate due to the fixed pawl 29 engaging the disc 28, but when the roller 26 moves upwardly by the upward movement of the furnace 5, the lever 27 is released and the shafts 23 and 24 are disconnected from one another. A spring 30 surrounds the shaft 23 and fixed to asuitable trunnion is the spring 30 being in operative engagement with the upper surface of the cam disc 28 to lower it so that it is free from engagement with the depending pawl 29.

There is provided a fan 31 having a suction duct 32 which is positioned at its downwardly facing intake end at station Ill. The suction duct carries a depending, vertically movable tube 33 for movement into and out of the crucible 3, the duct 32 and tube 33 being in communication with one another via'an opening 34 in the tube 33. The tube 33 is, of course, closed at its upper end.

To operate the movable tube 33, there is provided a catch 35 extending from the furnace 5, a rod link 37 having a vertical portion 37 which carries a stop 36 in engagement with the opposite of the catch 35. The vertical portion 37' also carries a stop 40 a distance above the stop 35 for reasons to become apparent." The horizontal free end of the link 37 carries opposed springs 39, and a Thus, as the piston 6 is moved upwardly, the furnace 5 engages the crucible 2, and the arm 3, moving upwardly,

engages the lever 18 to move the slide away from the coal supply opening, thereby allowing the crucible to be filled. The funnel 16 is displaced so that no coal from the trough 17 can fall onto the coal supply opening, and the wiper plate 13 moves coal 14 from the plate 15. Also, the plate 8, moving upwardly, engages the stop 9 so that the furnace cover 10 moves downwardly, enclosing the furnace 5 and the crucible 2. Free unrestricted swelling of the coal is provided during the coking thereof in the furnace 5 due to the fact that this cover abuts the furnace 5 instead of the crucible 2.

There is provided a prime mover 20 running at constant speed and having an output shaft 24 vertically aligned below the central shaft 23. Carried by the shaft 24 is a cam disc 21. A pivoted follower D engages the cam disc 21 at its one free end, while joined at its other free end to a spring mounted vertical link D which carries a table plate 22 at its upper end. Rotation of the shaft 24 provides a jerking movement to the table plate 22, via the disc 21, and the elements D,'D', this plate 22 being positioned to engage and tap the underside of the crucible 1 at station I so that the coal in this crucible is compacted and assumes a fiat surface.

The shafts 23 and 24 are coupled to one another by means of aslip coupling 25. This coupling 25 is operative by engagement with a bell crank 27. The bell crank is positioned for engagement at its opposite link with a cable E,which is trained about a cable reel E, the opposite end of the cable E being joined to the upper end of the movable tube 33. As the furnace 5 is raised, the catch 35 releases the stop 36 so that the movable duct 33 is raised by the action of the springs 39 until its open lower end has cleared the upper end of the crucible 3. Also, attached to the furnace 5 is a stop 41 which cooperates with a lever 42. This lever 42 carries at its opposite end to that which engages the stop 41, a cable F.

The cable F is joined at its lower end to a spring biased,

movable duct 44 movable between a position over the container 43 and a position remote therefrom for reasons to become apparent. There is provided a radially extending arm 54 fixed to the vertical portion of the duct 32 at its inner end and fixed to the cable F at its outer end. As the stop 41 moves upward it engages the spring mounted lever arm 42. The cable F is moved downwardly and, by virtue of its connection with the arm 54, causes the duct 32 to be moved aside by rotation thereof, to a position directly above the testing apparatus, and the duct 44- is moved aside from the container 43 so the coke button in the crucible 3 may be removed therefrom and dropped in the container 43, as will become apparent. Subsequently, the catch 35 cooperates with the stop 40 at the end of the upward stroke of the furnace 5, causing the tube 33 to be raised until the opening 34 in the tube no longer communicates with the suction duct 32. The coke button is no longer sucked against a grid 38 and drops into a test container 43 by virtue of the prior movement of the duct 32, as described. This container 43 is joined at its lower end to a motor 45 operative to rotate the container 43 about its vertical axis. The container is translucent, and is for that preferably formed by some wires .like a kind of basket. Disposed in the path of the container 43 is a parallel beam of light emitted from a source 46; and, a photoelectric cell 47 receives light from the source 46, which has not been blocked by the coke button in the container 43. A suitable system lenses and a diaphragm, known in the art, are provided to control the light beam, as is apparent. The photoelectric cell 47 is operatively connected to an amplifier 48 which in turn is wired to a recording instru-ment 49. Due to the blocking of the light caused by the shadow cast on the photoelectric cell by the coke button, there is provided a measure of the average cross-sectional area of the coke button, the electric signal amplified at 48 corresponding therewith.

A compressed air pipe '53 is operatively connected to the time .relay 7 and positioned beneath the test container 43 to blow a coke button into the duct 44, positioned thereover. Of course the container 43 is suitably apertured at its lower end to receive this blast of compressed air.

At Station IV an outlet duct 50 joined to the fan 31 is positioned to blow dust from the crucible carried by the radial arm, not shown, joined to the shaft 23.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The crucible 1 carried by the arm 11 is positioned at Station I, while another filled crucible is disposed at Station II. A crucible is disposed at Station III carrying the formed coke button, while the crucible at Station IV is empty. The furnace 5 is moved upwardly via the piston 6 to engage the crucible '2 and heat thesame until the coal has been carbonized, i.e. transformed into a coke button 52 as shown in FIG. 3, the time allowed for this process being determined by the proper setting on the relay 7. As the furnace 5 moves upwardly the plate 8 engages the lever 18, opening the hole in the plate 15 for filling the crucible 1, the bell crank 27 is released, disengaging the shafts 23 and 34, but the crucible 1 is continually tapped by the reciprocating table 22 driven from the motor 20, cam 21, follower D and link D. Also the coke button is removed from crucible 3 by the suction in the tube 33 lifting the coke button, and the coke button is dropped into the test container 43 (the duct 44 being moved aside) when suction duct 33 is moved to its appropriate position by stop 41, lever 42, cable F and arm 54. The suction in the tube 33 is broken by exposure of its aperture 34 to the surrounding atmosphere.

The rotating translucent test container, disposed in the path of the photoelectric circuit 46, 47, 48, 49 provides an accurate indication of the average cross-sectional area of the coke button, as is apparent. That is, the photoelectric circuit 46, 47, 48, 49 senses the average cross-scctional area of the coke button with respect to the measured quantity of ground coal placed in the crucible at Station I.

At the end of this operation the furnace 5 is lowered by deactivation of the relay 7, the cover thereby being raised due to the release of spring biased stop 9. The slide 1 9 at Station I is closed and the tube 33 is lowered so that the opening 34 communicates with the suction pipe 32. The tube 44 takes its position over the test container 43. The duct 32 turns back so that the tube 33 is again passed over the crucible 3. The roller 26 engages with the bell crank 27 moving the coupling 25 (and shaft 24) into operative engagement with the central shaft 23, to which all the crucibles are carried. Consequently, one of the cam discs 28 passes the shaft pawl 29 before the cammed disc 28 has been raised sutficiently high to engage the pawl 29. Then, the cam disc 28 of the central shaft 23 can turn and move-s so that the following cam is carried by the pawl 29. The shaft 23 has now been turned through an angle of 90 which has advanced each of the crucibles 1-4 to the next station. Crucible 1, which at Station I has received a measured and leveled quantity of coal shown at 51 in FIGURE 2, and is advanced to Station II. Crucible 2 which carries the formed coke butt-on, FIG- URE 3, arrives at Station III; crucible 3 from which the coke button has been removed by suction arrives at Station IV; and crucible 4 which has been cleaned by blowing via the duct 50 connected to the fan 31 arrives at Station I. The time relay 7 supplies compressed air through a tube 53 positioned adjacent the rotating test container 43 so that the coke button present in the container 43 is shot into the outlet pipe 44, positioned thereover. At the end of the downward movement of the furnace 5, the funnel 16 and wiper plate 13 again assume the position shown in FIGURE 1 so that the crucible under the supply plate can again be filled. The tube 33 is brought back into the position shown in FIGURE 1 and the cycle is completed.

The entire process takes place in only a few minutes so that the coal supply to a blending bunker of a coking plate can be automatically controlled by means of this arrangement.

As will' be appreciated suitable gaskets and joints, known in the art, are provided as necessary to control the pneumatically operated portion of the system, e.g., the connection of the pipe 53 to the rotatable container 43, the connection of the movable tube 33 to the duct 32, and the like. Also, the particular angular relationship of the stops and actuating elements to the axis of the furnace 5, shaft 23 will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Likewise the cables A, B, F, the rods C and D, are appropriately positioned to operate at their respective stations.

From the foregoing description of the various embodiments of this invention, it is evident that the objects of this invention, together with many practical advantages are successfully achieved. While preferred embodiments of our invention have been described, numerous further modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

Therefore, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for determining the swelling of coal and the like which occurs during coking, comprising: conveying means; at least one crucible attached to said conveying means; at least three stations positioned in cooperative association with said conveying means; the first station including means for filling the crucible with coal, and means for compacting and leveling the same; the second station including means for heating the coal in said crucible to form a coke button; a rotatably mounted translucent container; the third station including means for removing the coke button from said crucible and placing the same in said container, and photoelectric circuit means for measuring the swelling of said coke button during rotation of said container.

2. Apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said conveying means includes a central rotatable shaft, transverse arms extending from said shaft, a crucible carried by each of said arms, said stations being disposed in the path of movement of said crucible.

3. Apparatus defined in claim 1 including pusher means operatively driven from said conveying means for repeatedly tapping the crucible at said first station to compact and level the coal which has been introduced into the crucible.

4. Apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said second station includes a furnace, means operatively joined to said furnace to periodically displace said furnace to enclose the crucible at said second station and to move said furnace away from said crucible whereby the crucible at said second station can advance to the third station.

5. Apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein said means for removing the coke button from the crucible at said third station includes a suction duct, means for imparting a vacuum connection to the coke button via said suction duct, and means for moving said vacuum connection means away from said crucible and thence relieving the vacuum connection, whereby the coke button drops into said test container.

6. Apparatus defined in claim 1 including a fourth station, means at said fourth station for cleaning the crucible emptied at said third station.

7. Apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein said means includes a pneumatic blower.

8. Apparatus defined in claim 4 including a crucible cover and means for moving said cover towards and away from said furnace in response to movement of said furnace towards and away from said crucible.

9. Apparatus defined in claim 1 including pneumatic means for removing the coke button from said test container.

10. Apparatus for determining the swelling of coal and the like which occurs during coking comprising: rotary conveyor means; at least three crucibles carried by said conveyor means in. radially extending, equi-angular relationship thereto; at least three stations cooperatively positioned in the path of 'rnovementofsaid crucibles, the first station including means for filling a crucible with coal, the second station including a furnace for heating a filled crucible to form a coke button, means for moving said furnace into and out of engagement with the filled crucible, the third station including means for removing the formed coke button from a crucible and thence releasing the same; means for measuring the average cross sectional area .of the coke button released at .said third station including a photoelectric circuit; and control means for automatically indexing said conveyor means from one station to another and actuating the means at said stations. 7 11. Apparatus defined in'clairn 10 wherein said control means include mechanical linkages carried by said furnace for actuating said means at each station upon movement of said furnace.

12. Apparatus defined in claim ll'including fluid actuated piston means joined to said furnace, and a time relay circuit for controllingsaid piston means.

13. Apparatus defined in claim 10 including a translucent container rotatably mounted in the light path of said photoelectric circuit means for receiving the coke button when released at said third station.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,756,457 4/30 Fourment 13 34 2,184,162 12/39 Stockbarger et al. 250-224 X 2,895,373 7/59 Eyraud 250-224 X RICHARD C. QUEISSER, Primary Examiner. WALTER STOLWEIN, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE SWELLING OF COAL AND THE LIKE WHICH OCCURS DURING COKING, COMPRISING: CONVEYING MEANS; AT LEAST ONE CRUCIBLE ATTACHED TO SAID CONVEYING MEANS; AT LEAST THREE STATIONS POSITIONED IN COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION WITH SAID CONVEYING MEANS; THE FIRST STATION INCLUDING MEANS FOR FILLING THE CRUCIBLE WITH COAL, AND MEANS FOR COMPACTING AND LEVELING THE SAME; THE SECOND STATION INCLUDING MEANS FOR HEATING THE COAL IN SAID CRUCIBLE IN FORM A COKE BUTTON; A ROTATABLY MOUNTED TRANSLUCENT CONTAINER; THE THIRD STATION INCLUDING MEANS FOR REMOVING THE COKE BUTTON FROM SAID CRUCIBLE AND PLACING THE SAME IN SAID CONTAINER, AND PHOTOELECTRIC CIRCUIT MEANS FOR MEASURING THE SWELLING OF SAID COKE BUTTON DURING ROTATION OF SAID CONTAINER. 